Two residents from the Village on the St. Clair got something even better than front-row seats at the 43rd annual Sarnia Kinsmen Santa Claus Parade – they got to be a part of the tradition.
Helen Taylor and Bill Kerwin got to sit in the S&R Group’s shuttle bus – which was decorated as Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer – as it went through downtown Sarnia on Dec. 7 along with the other participants in this year’s parade.
Village on the St. Clair resident services manager Anastasia Prins says it was a win-win for Helen and Bill, as they got an up-close parade experience while keeping warm.
Anastasia describes the experience as “joyful,” adding there were “smiles all around” as the decorated shuttle bus made its way through the city.
“For me, it was such an amazing experience,” Anastasia tells S&R Today. “We would pass a lot of children, and as we rolled past, they would yell to honk the horn, and when we did the kids would jump up and down with such an excitable manner. I was thankful that we were a part of something that brings so much joy to the public.”
Anastasia adds Helen and Bill had lots of fun cracking jokes and waving at the people the shuttle bus passed.
“We were laughing and enjoying every minute,” she says. “The residents also just kept saying we need to get more people on here.”
Helen, 92, says she has seen many Santa Claus parades and enjoyed her latest.
Asked what her favourite part of the event was, Helen didn’t skip a beat in her reply.
“Seeing all the young children just enjoying it with the excitement on their faces waiting to see Santa Claus,” she says, adding, “You never know what you’ll be doing at 92.”
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